Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-02-11
A LETTER TO SPEAKER CARLISLE,
A Repeal Of the Tobacco Tax is Urged

Repeal Of the Tobacco Tax is Urged.
WASHINGTON, Feb. S.-Speaker Carlisle
to-day received letter signed John |.
Henderson, George ID. Wise and Sam1
Randall, of which the following excerpts
convey the significance:
DEAR SIR: We regret exceedingly that
you could not see your way clear TO give
recognition on yesterday TO some dem
ocrat to enable the house to suspend the
rules for the purpose of giving the house
an opportunity of considering the ques-
tion of total repeal of the revenue tax on
tobacco. Your refusal to give this recogni-
tion, together with your letter of the 9Th
inst. deserves more than passing notice.
If two-thirds of the house are in favor
of such repesl it was a grave response
billty for you to oppose such large ma
lority of representatives of the people.
Assuming, however, for the sake of argu-
ment, that the friends of the proposition
constitute a less number than two-thirds
their strength is certainly such that they
ought to have been permitted to test,the
sense of the house upon the ques-
ton, especially since the country
Is watching with intense interest the
action of the house in respect thereto
and the constituents Of a large mum Der
Of members of the house have been urg-
| ing them to obtain if possible considera-
tion of the subject. We do not wish to
be misunderstood. We earnestly desire
from party standpoint that recognition
should have been given to a democrat
to make the motion but we would vote
cAeerfully for the proposition whether
made by democrat or republican.
We believed that ssthe friends of the re-
peal of the tobacco tax were so strong in
the house that we would save to the op-
pressed tax payers of this country an an
nual reduction of taxation to tho extent
of $2S,O00,000, il the motion of repeal
could be made in the house on Monday of
this week-the latest day when such
motion, to be effective under the rules,
would be in order during tho 49th CON
gress. The motion if made
during the last six day. of
session would almost certainly be too late
to secure a favorable consideration for
the question in the senate. We think
that the revision of the tariff and of the
internal revenue laws can be allowed from
time to time by reforming the obvious
and greater grievances of the two sys-
TENS, and that we should not
refuse to make such reforms be-
cause sweeping changes have not
been practicable. If the house
WAS considered competent to deal with
the silver question, with the pension
question and with the oleomargarine
question, face from the action of demo-
cratic caucuses we think it ought to be
competent to deal with the question of
the reduction of taxation. The caucus
ought not now to be invoked to justify
the policy of delay and nom
action on this subject. We sincere
ly hope with you, that some
plan may yet be devised
which will enable the house to con slider
the whole subject of revenue reduction
and revision in spirit Of fairness to all
interests, and in accordance with the let
ter and spirit of the platform of the ma
tional democratic party, adopted at the
convention held at Chicago in the year
1884, and We answer you that we are ready
to meet any of our democratic associates
who are prepared to treat with US on such
basis